Langley: 28 August 2001

Deftly, you lower yourself to Ardenth's bent foreleg, pausing a moment as your lifemate crouches to allow you easier access to the ground.
You walk into the huge living cavern.
Chaia murmurs softly to T'mren, across the table where their dinner is growing cold.
Alaida smiles. "I can't wait, Sir. Thank you. " and with that, she salutes again before turning to head toward the serving table and grabs herself a handful of meatrolls.
T'mren cocks his head, listening to his weyrmate in silence.
Your location's current time: 23:00 on day 11, month 3, Turn 37, of the Tenth Pass. It is a spring evening.
S'ris turns on his heel and bellows. "E'ric, front and center now!"
Jesica comes walking into the living cavern and she looks around and gives S'ris a glare that is nearly murderous in intent and she heads over to him and drops the Wingleader knot of Big Bay at his feet and then looks the new Wingleaders up and down with a stare that's nearly as evil before she moves over to get herself some wine and she settles down after kicking a few chairs out of her way. To say that the fiery haired greenrider is not happy is like stating gold dragons hatch from gold eggs.
Stopping just inside, Langley gives a look around with a creased sort of frown. "Isn't it a little late for all these people?" she comments, but comes in nonetheless, passing right by S'ris and his bellow with a roll of her eyes. Not one he's meant to see, of course.
P'tod is so out of it he doesn't even notice E'ric's greeting -- well, surely that's the reason for the lack of response. If he were snubbing him, he'd probably be a lot more deliberate about it. But when S'ris bellows, he jumps, nearly as startled as he'd have been if he'd been called himself.
Alaida snickers softly at S'ris' bellow and mutters. She mutters to herself, "I wouldn't want... him." 
E'ric looks up from his mug and quickly gets up from his chair and moves towards the Weyrleader. With a salute he acknowledges the summons albeit he seems a little bit off balance as he is not used to being called upon by him at least not openly in the caverns, "Sir."
S'ris holds back a retort as he picks up the wingleader knot at his feet, stuffs it in his pocket, and bellows again. Or he -almost- does until E'ric comes up saluting. "Good man." Then a different wingleader's knot is taken out of his jacket and tossed straight at the brownrider's face. "Congrats," he mutters simply, smirking. Time for his life to go to the seventh level of Hades.
After pouring herself a mug of juice, Langley strolls around a few of the kicked chairs, righting one of them with her foot in passing. She comes up near Alaida, mug in hand, and asks with a nod toward S'ris and E'ric, "What's going on around here?"
Alaida glances to Langley and smiles. "Wing shuffling. "
Chaia pushes her half-eaten dinner toward T'mren, "Finish it, if you want?"
T'mren blinks at his weyrmate ,"What, not hungry?" he asks, with a note of concern.
A look of total confusion crosses E'ric's face as a wingleader's knot is tossed at him. Despite not being ready for anything being thrown at him, he manages to catch it before it hits him square in the face. He does manage to give S'ris a nod. "Wingleader Sir?"
Ardenth> Above you, Ondeth glides lower into the bowl, eventually backwinging gracefully near the living caverns to the southeast, scattering several firelizards on his way.
Ardenth> Ondeth approaches from above, the wind from his wings stirring the air into a great rush as he lands.
Ardenth> U'lyn stands up and carefully walks to Ondeth's arm, where he is lowered down.
Chaia shakes her head. "I've had enough, is all."
"Oh," says Langley, kind of like she was expecting something a little more exciting. "Did you get moved?" she asks, sitting down in that righted chair and scooting it up to a table, leaning her cheek on her palm and watching the transaction between E'ric and S'ris.
T'mren squeezes Chaia's hand gently, and nods, tucking into her plate. Between bites he asks her, "WEll, my day just got considerably more exciting, hm/"
Alaida nods. "Yeah. To Belior. What about you?"
Jesica just looks at S'ris and every single one of her firelizards hisses at the man, down to the smallest as they ring the Living Cavern. They perfectly reflet in red glowing eyes the fury that shows in Jesica's pale green eyes. "Oh you Haven't heard? Seems the Weyrleader decided to strip riders of WingLeader status for no other reason than a desire to do so. Demoting those that hadn't done anything wrong and promoting others. But he's Weyrleader, he can do what he wants, reguardless of how it makes people feel. He's not in the business of caring about his riders, only his personal whims." she says in a clear, carrying tone. Her contempt for said Weyrleader is quite clear, she who rarely ever loses her temper is quite clearly beyond being furious, far beyond it.
U'lyn walks in from the bowl.
Alaida blinks and glances over at Jesica in shock when she hears the words. "Oh.. shards. " she murmurs.
S'ris turns his head sideways. "What, does everyone here think I'm kidding when I give a knot to someone?" he shouts, albeit with a rather amused air about him. Though most of that leaves as he regards Jesica with a level gaze. "Perhaps. You care to prove me wrong and show me you are better at it?" he challenges back, loud and clear, then goes back to smiling at E'ric. "Well, you want the hassle, the work, the stress, and...wait, sorry, you might be thinking I'm letting you have a say in this. I'm not. Congrats." Hah, take -that-.
Looking up suddenly, Langley says, "Shells. What's *her* problem?" She points toward Jesica with a quick flicker of her forefinger, then shakes her head at Alaida's question. "I don't think I did. At least, I haven't heard anything about it yet." She lifts a careless sort of shrug.
Chaia shrugs, "I guess. You'll have to explain it all to me, later?" She, too, glances at Jesica, then back to T'mren. "That seems a lot more like an example of exciting than you did."
U'lyn wanders his way in, bronze 'lizard chittering angrily on his shoulder. "Shards, be quiet, it's just a green!" U'lyn growls at Clarion, until he flies off to perch by himself. "Sharding, wherry-brained.." U'lyn mumbles to himself, and heads for the serving table, getting himself a cup of tea.
P'tod snags himself a redfruit off the serving table and weaves through the crowd toward E'ric and S'ris. "That'll look good on you, I figure," he says to the brownrider with a grin.
Long distance to S'ris: Langley coughs and assumes you set this up with Jesica?
E'ric is torn between his attention to the Weyrleader and the carrying voice of Jesica. Only sheer determination keeps him from looking her way and keeping his attention focused on S'ris. As he speaks he looks more confused but quickly regains composure. "Thank you Sir. I believe I am ready for any challenge that may present itself." Or at least he may think he is. At P'tods comment he does turn to him and gives him a smile. "Do you have a list of the new wing riders for me Sir?" he says finally to S'ris.
Alaida murmurs to Langley. "I dunno really, but...I don't want to guess or even say. "
Jesica looks at S'ris, "No, since you know I ride green and Can't be a Weyrleader, but then, one could hardly expect someone that demotes riders simply because he Felt like it, to give a shard about what it does to people. Does it make you happy to see how much your little whims can hurt people S'ris? Oh that's right, you're the Weyrleader, you don't have to be held accountable for your actions, since you're the one that's the leader, you Can do what you want and not have to have a guilty feeling what so ever over it."
T'mren blinks at Jesica and nods to Chaia, "That's..nothing if not exciting." He shakes his head at the display and turns to S'ris and E'ric thoughtfully.
"Faranth," a serving girl says loudly as she plunks down mugs of klah in front of two riders. "If she can't control herself any better than that, it's no wonder she was demoted."
"And people say *I* have a lotta nerve," remarks Langley with a laugh into her cup and without the bother of keeping her voice down. If Jesica can be loud and rude, so can Langley! Yay! "No kidding," she adds in conjunction with the serving girl, nodding merrily and knocking back some juice to boot.
U'lyn cradles his tea, raising an eyebrow as he overhears some of the conversation from the table. Sipping at the tea, he considers for a moment before pulling up a chair, albeit a little away from the table.
E'ric finally glances over to Jesica and then back to S'ris wondering if he is going to stand there and take this. He can feel his own temper rising up and it takes all his composure not to let it show or make a comment.
S'ris nods to E'ric, really wishing he could do more for such a happy occasion. The serving girl's sentence causes him to chuckle, along with Langley's comment. But anyone that knows S"ris knows that is a dangerous chuckle. "Really Jesica, do try and restrain yourself. If you think you are the only rider being switched around in rank and position, please think again." Not that he expects her to do that. "But you are correct, I don't feel guilty. Nor should I. The entire weyr has no been put on it's toes, and is more likely to be alert and active. ANd that means better fighting, less injuries, and less deaths. Now, if you really want to stand here and say you are against that..."
Halfway under her breath, Langley concludes S'ris's statement with her own brand of humor: "You're probably going to get pretty well thrashed." She looks around the population of the caverns presently and nods, liking her conclusion pretty well.
Alaida frowns a bit, shaking her head. She finally murmurs softly. "Excuse me. " then she heads toward the bowl.
P'tod leans against a table, since all the chairs nearby seem to be taken, just to watch the scene unfold.
Alaida walks outside, into the bowl.
U'lyn stays completely silent; so far, this isn't a conversation he'd like to have much input into. Glancing at Alaida as she leaves, he frowns slightly before his usual smile returns, a little half-hearted.
Ardenth> Alaida heads over to the hatching grounds with a handful of meatrolls in hand. She says nothing as if she has a job to do.
E'ric gives S'ris a salute and adds, "I shall meet with you later about wing assignments as this appears to not be a good time. If I may take my leave?" his chews each word making more of a show of it to rile Jesica and to amuse S'ris than he normally would. He affords S'ris a wry smile as he waits his response.
Jesica smiles and looks at the serving girl, "Oh no, S'ris was quite clear in his posting about wing assignments, he did it because he felt like shaking things up. Seems to be a poor example in how to handle the people in his Weyr, all in the supposed thought that it might make us more alert. Being overly alert and active will have just as much a chance of causing injuries and deaths. To put riders together who know Nothing about each other is a glaringly obvious way to Cause those same accidents you say you're avoiding. To put riders together that won't necessarily be at all happy with your assignments is going to lead to conflict, if not with you than with wing leaders and wing riders. But lets not feel at ALL guilty about that now shall we S'ris. Let's not feel at all guilty that weak riders in the beginning of your little... experiment are going to get injured in training with riders that have no sharding idea of what the others are capable of. You'll be the one responsible for every single one of those accidents in your little restructuyring S'ris. Not to mention the fact that none of your new wings will be fit for fall without a hell of a lot of practice, which of course means there's a good chance they'll be exhausted by the time Fall comes to our area, due to the fact of trying to get used to thier new wingmates. Enjoy your pride and lack of guilt over that S'ris."
Beckoning, Langley waves toward U'lyn and pats her hand on her own table, which isn't quite empty but there's enough room to squeeze in if one really tried hard enough. Cheerfully, she says, "C'mere, U'lyn. You really gotta watch this. She gives a whole new meaning to self-righteous!" Having long been a fan of chaos, this seems right up Langley's alley.
E'ric turns on his heels as Jesica continues her tirade, something she said having finally set the brown rider off. "Are you suggesting that those he gave wingleader status to are not qualified? Do you question my abilities as a wingleader that I can not lead and train my wing?" his voice is stern and harsh, his eyes a black steel to match the color of his hair." After finishing he turns to S'ris and apologizes for his outburst before turning back to look at Jesica for a moment.
P'tod covers a yawn and, eyeing the quarreling riders, shakes his head a bit and walks out to the bowl.
P'tod walks outside, into the bowl.
Ardenth> Alaida walks into the Hatching Grounds through one of the large entrances.
U'lyn turns around to look at Langley, smile growing slightly. "Sure," he says, getting up and squeezing in at that table. "Feels like I stepped in at a bad time..." Clarion suddenly squawks from his perch for no apparent reason, just happy to add more ruckus to the rook.
S'ris nods towards E'ric, then gives a half-smile as his new wingleader takes off. "Thank you E'ric, but I do believe it's time I took Jesica out of here for now. No sense having a relaxful night ruined. Let's go Jesica, outside. Now."
E'ric watches Jesica for a moment and he nods to S'ris as he excuses him, "Sorry sir and I shall take my leave."
E'ric walks outside, into the bowl.
Jesica looks at E'ric, and she smiles in contempt, "If you feel you Have to ask questions like that, then it shows what your own feelings are about your being posted as WingLeader, so maybe you should answer those questions to yourself before asking others about what they are saying." She then looks at S'ris and snorts, "You ruined this evening for a lot of people long before I did S'ris, but that's right, you have no reason to feel guilty about anything, ever around here.
Langley makes a face at the firelizard on U'lyn's shoulder and says, "Not you, too." She reaches out a forefinger to tap the thing on the nose, then sighs gustily as S'ris's words greet her ears. "He's taking away our show!" she frets.
Jesica walks outside, into the bowl.
S'ris whips his head around to Langley. Oh no, she doesn't want to push him right now. Good thing he keeps control of his tongue before going outside.
S'ris walks outside, into the bowl.
Clarion squawks once more at that little tap, and U'lyn quickly pries him off his shoulder. "No, no. Don't," he says, shaking a finger at the 'lizard. For the moment, he stays quiet. "There." Once S'ris has departed, he sighs heavily. "What did I just walk into, anyways? I barely listened to most of it..."
Langley makes a face at the Weyrleader's back, safe since he can't see it, and then gives a gusty sigh. "Well. It was interesting while it lasted," she says a little dejectedly, flicking her fingers at the squawky lizard. "Oh, I guess S'ris was choosing new wingleaders and gave Jesica's wing to someone else and she decided to act like a screeching wherry instead of an adult." (Pretty bad when it comes from Langley...)
U'lyn takes a sip of his tea, raising his eyebrows. "Wow, that isn't too good. I'm glad I'm not in a real authorative position, my move really wasn't bad..." He pauses for a moment, checking that Clarion is still staying silent, then adds, "S'ris looked really....mad."
Ardenth> S'ris walks out, hands held behind his back where his hand rests limply. "So, Jesica, do you really like permanent watchrider patrols over the Keroon desert?"
Ardenth> Jesica heads over to Trisseth, the green's eyes are as red as Jesi's firelizards, proving just how deep Jesi's feelings go, since Jesi has never let her feelings affect Trisseth before. She just keeps heading for the green, not reacting at all to the nasty hiss that comes from Trisseth as the green spots S'ris, oh yeah, definitly goes beyond fury, uh huh. "Right now S'ris, I don't frankly care What you do. My points are valid, but you're going to allow yourself to feel No guilt what so ever, you who has never led before are like the Blind leading the deaf and mute. No one's going to tell you you might be wrong because You're the WeyrLeader, well being Weyrleader doesn't mean you're right and what you did disreguareded the feelings of a lot of people, but what the shard do you care about that."
T'mren stands, and offers his hand to Chaia with a smile, "let's go home, love."
"Authority types are always running around looking really mad," says Langley sagely, nodding over her mug of juice. "It's supposed to make them seem more forbidding or something. The only ones I've ever seen who don't do it are the Harpers. Did you know I danced with the Masterharper once?"
Chaia nods, taking T'mren's hand, "Home is good. My head is pounding."
Ardenth> Ardenth is trying to sleep. She snorts at the argument, blowing a gusty sound out through her nostrils, and then turns to tuck her head under her wing and force herself back to a doze. Zzzzzzz.
T'mren squeezes her hand gently, looking concerned, "Poor love. I'll fix you some wine."
T'mren walks outside, into the bowl.
U'lyn grins at Langley, putting his teacup down. "Oh, really? Any good? And sometimes, yes, they're always looking mad. S'ris has a reason, though."
Ardenth> Ondeth hasn't been paying much attention to the others, he's too busy watching Ardenth at the moment, head rested on his paws.
Chaia walks outside, into the bowl.
Ardenth> Devath rumbles softly as she snakes her head around to look at the two then goes back to her nap with a large yawn.
Ardenth> S'ris raises an eyebrow. "You done, rider?" That's all he says. All he asks. Perhaps because he knows if he keeps speaking, he'll have to make a huge speech.
Ardenth> T'mren grips the straps on Cevodnioth's hide, and climbs onto the dragon's back, perching there with confidence.
Ardenth> Chaia grips the straps on Cevodnioth's hide, and climbs onto the dragon's back, perching there with confidence.
Nodding brightly, Langley says, "Very good. *He* even asked *me*." She preens, even going so far as to flounce her hair a little while looking after Chaia and T'mren momentarily. "At least they seem happy with one another," she notes a little drily, then looks back to U'lyn abruptly. "Oh, of course he did. I'd probably just have hauled off and punched her in the nose."
Ardenth> Cevodnioth flies up into the air.
"Well, it's the usual," U'lyn remarks of the Masterharper asking first. "I've never had a girl ask me, that I can remember. And I wouldn't've punched her in the face, but I'd probably give her quite a harsh yelling at."
Langley says certainly, "I'd ask a boy to dance if any of them were worth asking. Not the Masterharper, of course, even though he's probably the *most* worth asking." She makes a face and says, "Yelling never accomplishes anything."
Ardenth> Jesica snorts, "Oh yeah, I'm just a stupid wingrider, not someone who knows anything about leading. I've only been a wingleader here for seven turns. I don't know anything about what a leader's decisions might do to thier wingriders." she says as she swings up on Trisseth, tugging her straps secure as she glares down at you, "You dan't give a sharding hoot about how your decisions affect people Do you S'ris?"
Ardenth> Jesica climbs up onto Trisseth's back with a gentle boost from the green dragon.
U'lyn nods slowly. "Oh, I know that. It's....just a good way of letting it all out. Well, not exactly good, but still..." He reconsiders for a moment, then sighs. "Why aren't most of us worth asking, huh?"
Sagely, Langley says, "You should try throwing things. That seems to be a pretty good way to vent bad emotions." She thinks about that, then nods seriously and replies to the latter, "Oh, puh-lease. Tell me you haven't noticed that there is something seriously wrong with most males. The ones that aren't ugly are pretty much all arrogant and the ones that aren't arrogant are pretty much all ugly. It's almost always true."
Ardenth> S'ris smiles. The perfectly cool smile. "You just let yourself believe that. And report to your wing drills on time. Unless you really care to press your luck."
U'lyn again consinders for a moment. "Weeel...in some cases, you're right. But, there are exceptions. And really, do looks matter a whole lot to females? I'm really not sure..."
"No one wants to be with someone who's ugly," says Langley with a toss of her chin. "That's a fact. They might *resort* to it when there's nothing better, but it's not what they really seek out."
Ardenth> Alaida walks out from the Hatching Grounds.
Ardenth> Mounted on Trisseth, Jesica snorts softly, "Oh far be it for me to be late for drills, I'm so looking Forward to having to avoid accidents from the people in Sonya's wing. I haven't even Begun yet S'ris. You took away everything I've worked so hard at and for and what did you do it for, because you wanted to shake things up. Well you've done just that, and well, you get what you earn when you trample all over someone's feelings without a care to how they'll react. So you have only yourself to blame for my feelings towards you right now."
U'lyn sighs, nodding slowly. "Yeah, that makes sense, I guess....depends on how high your standards are set."
Ardenth> Alaida finally steps out of the hatching grounds entrance and wipes her hands on her pants. She raises an eyebrow as she looks over at S'ris from a distance with Jesica's words carrying in the night air easily. She shakes her head and sighs softly.
Langley looks at U'lyn and asks, "Who really sets their standards low, U'lyn?"
Ardenth> "Enough Jesica." Yes, his patience has run out. "YOu control yourself. I find it sad that you think I somehow control your actions. YOu ever talk to Sonya like you just did to me, I'll have your hide." And then some. "You say you worked hard for it. So now you can work hard again. Don't come to me, blaming me for the entire weyrs problems. Despite what you think, the majority of the weyr is excited about this. SOo stop sniveling and snapping. I've had enough disrespect and impudence from you tonight."
"Well, not low," U'lyn says, then puts a hand about half of his height off the ground. "But not really high. Right in the middle."
"Well. I've got mine set pretty high. If someone ever actually meets them," Langley shrugs, standing up abruptly. "Ardenth says they're still at it out in the bowl, keeping her awake. We should go watch."
Ardenth> Alaida glances over her shoulder as if just waiting for Omfaleth to come barging out in her annoyance and shivers a bit. She turns back to the scene unfolding before her and takes a deep breath.
U'lyn's eyes unfocus for a moment, and a sly grin comes across his face for no apparent reason. "Okay, sure. But, maybe you should think about lowering your standards a little. High standards won't exactly do you good in the long run, in my opinion."
Langley says, as she heads out, "Yes, they will. Why settle for something that isn't *exactly* what you want?" She trots out, taking her mug of juice with her.
You walk outside, into the bowl.
Mounted on Trisseth, Jesica shakes her head, "You don't control me S'ris, and I have at least respect for Sonya. I at least know Sonya doesn't do things on a whim, just because she feels like it. She considers her riders feelings a sharding lot more than you do or likely ever will from the rate you're going about things. Don't delude yourself too much longer S'ris, or you'll get people killed. And franky, I really don't care what you think, feel or believe, you've given me no reason to respect you and even less reason right now to trust you." with that she motions to Trisseth who takes off with a swift thrust of her hindquarters and wings between less than a wingbeat above the ground.
S'ris tightly contrains himself. "You're dismissed." See? Two words through ground teeth. That works.
Trisseth flies up into the air.
U'lyn walks out of the living cavern.
Above you, Trisseth disappears into Between.
Langley snaps her fingers as she steps out, just in time to catch the trailing edge of Jesica's remark and then Trisseth's abrupt departure. "You should've told me sooner," she says, a little plaintive toward Ardenth who is still trying to snag some sleep. "Shells, S'ris, you've got a much better temper than I'd have given you credit for."
Alaida frowns and finally walks over slowly. She groans at Langley's words and shakes her head.
U'lyn eyes Langley cautiously, then backs away towards Ondeth, obviously expecting some kind of onslaught to be thrown her way.
S'ris turns his glowering smile towards the people as they come walking out. "Well...thankyou. I think. Perhaps I'm just on a high after finally -finishing- the wing business.."
Alaida fidgets a bit, looking a bit nervous after what just happened and walks over to Devath to lean against her muzzle.
U'lyn looks quite surprised by S'ris' reaction, but plunks down beside Ondeth anyways, reaching out to hug at his neck while Ondeth nuzzles at him.
See, that's probably not the reaction that Langley was going for, either, since she looks a little puzzled when she eyes the Weyrleader. "Uh, well, I'm glad for you."
S'ris laughs softly at Langley. "I'm sorry, I know you always aim for a fight Langley, and I could give you one, but that would just make you -too- happy. See, I'm appearently trying to make everyone miserable." -Duh-.
Alaida shakes her head. "Sir, perhaps....nevermind. " then she goes silent.
U'lyn watches S'ris and Langley carefully, still gently stroking Ondeth's neck. He remains silent, though. Wouldn't want to trigger anything, just in case.
Langley wrinkles her nose at S'ris and says, "Now how do you know I didn't come out here, for a change of pace, to make friends with you?" She folds her arms over her chest, giving S'ris a "well?" look.
S'ris snickers. "Well then, by all means, extend an offer of friendship?" Ah hah. A dare. "And what is it Alaida? You said something.." Might as well get it out now, afterall.
Alaida pauses, leaning against Devath still. She seems a bit unsure of what to say, or perhaps she's thinking of the right words. She murmurs. "I think that she was very harsh on you considering it is all known when a new Weyrleader takes over, there will be a shakedown. This just happened to come a bit later than expected. "
Langley mutters something under her breath before she pastes on a good smile. "All right. I'll tell you what I'll do." She hitches a shoulder toward the living caverns, gesturing sort of, and says, "In honor of our Weyrleader's cool temper, I'll go in and dig us up a wineskin and come up with a flattering toast. Would that be considered an offer of friendship?" She looks around the assembled, still waiting for that argument.
Alaida says "I think.... she also hasn't been looking at the fact of just how many have been killed during Fall in the time you have been Weyrleader. That is still something. We haven't had many deaths and not many injuries."
Alaida glances to Langley. "You really are wanting an argument, aren't you? Give me a bit when we are alone and I can ablige you. I have enough stress going on to just dump it on you. " she says calmly and a matter-of-fact.
S'ris laughs at Langley and gives a nod. "Hey, let's not pass up the chance for some wine, please. Tonight was supposed to be fun. YOu up for it U'lyn? And no, she isn't thinking of that. NOr do I think she wants to."
U'lyn sighs softly against Ondeth's side. "No thanks, S'ris. I'm kinda tired..."
"Not with you, Alaida," says Langley quickly, turning up her nose at the other greenrider. "I'm tired of arguing with you. It's always the same with you getting self-righteous and me getting bored." She finishes up that statement by turning a *look* upon S'ris; I-really-hate-you-a-lot-sometimes. "Oh, I think it's just a great idea. Don't go anywhere. I'm really going to think up a good toast." Cough.
Alaida shivers and shakes her head. "No wine for me then. "
S'ris smiles at U'lyn. "Fair enough, you'll have enough to do tommorow once we start drilling. Things are going to get a little hectice around here. And don't worry about it Langley. NO need to have you getting a hangover after you've just changed wings." Really. Honest.
U'lyn sighs, then wearily mounts up on Ondeth. "I think I'll retire for now. See you all later," he says, then Ondeth takes to the air.
Alaida shrugs. "I don't mind hectic. " She glances to U'lyn. "Night, U'lyn. "
U'lyn steps onto Ondeth's foot while being raised by him, then takes a seat on his neck.
Ondeth flies up into the air.
Langley waves at U'lyn and says, "Goodnight. If you see Salva, tell her I said hi." She turns then, refolding her arms and looking at S'ris with a few blinks. "Are you sure? I mean, I know you've got your manhood and everything to worry about. But I wouldn't tell if I drank you under the table, really." She manages to look guileless.
S'ris smirks at the greenrider. "Oh, really? That a challenge? I do happen to be able to drink most everyone under the table, thank you. I just keep that a well hidden secret. And I'm glad Alaida, I plan on drilling Belior until we drop."
Alaida rolls her eyes. "Nothing I"m not use to already. I believe we did that during Weyrlinghood also
Langley can just barely be heard to mutter something to the effect of ditching Belior happily, then. And then, at a more audible volume, "It might be a challenge, except then you'd have to admit defeat by and by and I'd have that weighing on my conscience." She sighs, eyeing Alaida and her mention of evil, evil weyrlinghood.
S'ris laughs quietly. "Weyrlinghood, yes, I suppose it will be like that the first sevenday. Nothing we can't do again." And Langley, poor Langley. SHe had to say something. He puffs up a bit. "You think you can beat me?"
Alaida glances to Langley and smiles sweetly. "Yes, Langley? "
Langley laughs at the puffed Weyrleader. Yes, laughs. Outright and everything. "I do, even if you are doing a pretty good impression of an overstuffed wherry." To Alaida, she clarifies, "Just always referring back to weyrling training. I'd think you of all people'd be glad it's over."
Alaida chuckles. "Well.. I am, but you have to admit that what he described sounded like it. AND we already know drills are the same, if not harder in the full wings
S'ris grins. "Come on Langley, afraid you are going to lose now? backing out of your own challenge?" Langley always had a big mouth, afterall. "Hey, it might be weyrlinghood, but without those restrictions."
"I'm not saying it didn't sound like weyrling training, but you still didn't have to point it out," notes Langley, about to wrinkle up her nose when sheer indignance takes up residence in her expression. "Me? Back out of a challenge? Ha! What'll we drink, oh overstuffed Weyrleader, sir?"
Alaida snickers softly. "I'll think I will be happy to watch you two try to drink eachother under the table. "
S'ris chuckles. "So let's get to it. Wine? Ale? Drinks from the Lava Lounge? Welll, staying here is best. So I suppose wine...or some of my drinks...I have some strong stuff.."
Langley says without reservation, "I'm game. And we'll have Alaida to officiate, even." It's a matter of pride now, and she's got *way* too much of that for her own good.
Alaida smirks. "Oh joy. "
S'ris straightens up, smiling. Oh yes, a fun night, and dreadful morning lays ahead. "Shall I bring my stash down here, or you two risk my weyr? Or just get wine from the cavern?"
"Either way's going to *sound* pretty bad," muses Langley, grinning. "The Weyrleader and those two recently graduated greenriders running either running off to his weyr or sitting in the caverns getting smashed is just not going to do wonders for your reputation."
Alaida smirks. "But in private might be better for you two are going to be embarressed if someone sees ya drunk. "
Alaida says "And I am very sure that won't help your image, Langley."
"ANd since when have I let that bother me?" For S'ris, the answer is never. "Ok, Alaida, you pick the place. That will be easier."
Langley replies simply, "I'm not worried about *my* image. Everyone already knows I'm a wretch and a prude." She flashes Alaida a smile and adds, "Yeah. You name it, officiating greenrider."
Alaida chuckles and rolls her eyes. "Fine.. The.....LC. Just so others can enjoy the scene you two are about to put on. "
S'ris immediately heads off towards the living cavern. "Fine show indeed, I bet she's out before I'm even woozy."
Alaida grins, motioning to Langley to preceed her.
"Not if I crack you in the skull wi..." Langley trails off, flashing a smile at Alaida and trotting back into the living cavern almost merrily.
You walk into the huge living cavern.
Alaida walks in from the bowl.
S'ris hmpfhs as he comes in after the girls. "Really now, having to cheat?" Tsk tsk. But he takes a seat at a small table, kicking a chair around to be across from him. "Get us something that tastes horrible Alaida."
Langley sits down across the table from S'ris, dragging a bench over and parking herself there. "Horrible? What's wrong with you? Get something that tastes *decent*, Alaida. If I have to sit here and look at *that*, I might as well enjoy the drink."
Alaida laughs. "Oh shards.. you two asked for it. " She heads to the serving table and looks it over. She grabs a couple of skins of wine, ale and juice. "Sir, what about that wonderful private stash you were talking about? I'm afraid there isn't much there that is /really/ strong. Well... for someone else that is. Of I could make you two a nice brew of something mixed. "
S'ris waves his hand away. "IT's in my -weyr-, of course. Not down here. And a brew is fine, right Langley? Just make sure it has something in it to make this girl pass out."
Langley lifts both brows and asks slyly, "Is *that* your preferred method? Hmmm." She coughs into her fist, just to clear her throat, and says, "Just bring it all, Alaida. We might as well get this thing over with. And you might see if you can get a pillow for S'ris so he doesn't hurt his head face-planting on the table."
Alaida snickers and grabs two mugs then walks back. She snags a chair with her foot, while her hands are full, and drags it to the table before sitting. She sets everything down and looks over the skins she just mixed. " Hrm.. " then opens one to sniff at it, smiling. She pours out two finger-fulls then grabs another skin, sniffs it before putting it aside and takes another to do the same and pours. She goes through them all, pouring two fingers of each, then sets a mug before the two of you."Have at it. "
S'ris is the first to pick up his mug, lift it to his lips, and downing the glass. Amazingly enough. Of course, when it's set down, he goes into a total coughing fit. "Alaida...never make this stuff again!"
Alaida laughs suddenly. "You /told/ me to make the worst drink possible! "
Langley is a little more delicate with hers, leaning down and sniffing the mug before reeling back almost off her bench. Holding her nose this time, she picks up the glass and looks like she's just about ready to cry at the mere thought of it but... She can't exactly down it all in one fell swoop, but after four or five nearly gagging gulps, she sets it down empty and squints away the tears and coughs herself red in the face. "What's *wrong* with you, Alaida!"
S'ris takes a few more moments to cough out the rest of the tsste from his throat. "Ok...ok. This will really be a test then." True test his rear end. "Ok...how about, we make something a -little- less un-tasteful?"
Alaida tries not to laugh, smiling. 'Ok. how about something fruity? "
Alaida grabs both of your mugs and picks up one of the skins again, putting two fingers in each, then picks up another skin to do the same, but this time only a single finger. She sets the two mugs before each of you.
Langley puts her mug really, really far away from her. All the way across the table, as a matter of fact, and then settles back down with her chin propped up in her palms. "Anything but *that*," she says adamently, still choking now and then when she makes the mistake of trying to talk.
S'ris raises an eyebrow at langley. "What, backing away cause you can't take the drink?" Hah, which him drink it down! And he does, though a little sloshes as it makes a bad aftertaste in his mouth from the other drink. A little gagging there, a little here, but he gets it down with a little effort. "Okok...really...Alaida..." It's terrible.
Alaida snickers. "Hey! I'm trying here! I'm not a Wine Crafter! "
Langley rolls her eyes at the taunt and, for a change, doesn't rise to the bait. Instead, she presses her eyes closed really, really, really tight and picks up the drink and swallows almost all of it before she sputters into the glass. "I think we picked a really lousy official," she pronounces carefully, quickly finishing of the last and setting the glass down with exaggerated care. At least she's still conscious!
Alaida giggles and reaches for the mugs again. She picks up a single skin and pours in some of the liquid before handing it back to you two. Straight Ale this time.
S'ris pokes his mug. "Just something straight this time, right? I didn't miss you adding anything while gagging?" Lousy official indeed. Actually, just a bad bartender. "Langley, you see any cheating by our judge?" Oh yes, unite against the enemy!
Alaida grins. "Just straight this time. "
"She's not to be trusted!" says Langley emphatically, leaning on her elbows over the top of her mug. "I think you should let me do the pouring from now on," she adds with a sly, just slightly lopsided grin as she peers down at the newly refilled mug. Carefully, she picks it up, puts it to her lips, tilts back her head, and drains the glass pretty efficiently. Hiccough!
Alaida smirks."I don't think so, Langley. See.. straight. " She glances to S'ris. "You're turn. "
S'ris hahs at Langley. "Like I would trust you to pour us an even amount of whatever we were drinking. ANd right right...I'm drinking." Which he does, and without the usual choking and gagging from the previous two. He even lets out a small sigh. "See how much better that is? No need for Alaida not to be the server."
Alaida smirks and quickly reaches for the mugs. "Ha! " She reaches for a skin and pours two fingers into each. She's keeping it straight this time, but what she poured is hard to tell. She sets the mugs between each of you.
Langley is pretty likely to fall off that bench pretty soon. She's not really even sitting up anymore, instead folding both arms on the table and putting her chin on tope of her forearms now. "Right. Better. No need for whatever you said." She nods as seriously as she can, blinking dramatically as she tells Alaida, "I'm seeing straight." Sorta. "What's in it this time?"
Alaida tilts her head, looking over at a table. "A candlemark past midnight. Drink up you two. " and she turns back.
S'ris grins at Alaida. "She asked what was in the drink this time. Not what time it was. You sure you aren't drinking some while serving us?" Silly girls. But that drink, whatever it is, is down. Assuming it is a drink that is downable.
Alaida ahems softly. "Sorry. I don't drink. It's.. uh.. I think this is wine. "
"Isn't there something about," begins Langley, tipping the mug with just her hand rather than going to the effort of actually raising it, "mixing up your drinks making you get sick?" Another hiccough intervenes, but she does get around to emptying the glass by and by, though not without blinking really, really hard promptly thereafter. Her face is going to be red as her hair ere long.
S'ris turns an undeniably truimphant grin towards Langley. "Don't tell me you are getting ready to quit already." Afterall, he's only a little red, the lush. "BUt I still say the ale is better for drinking quickly, so far."
Alaida chuckles, reaching for the mugs again and picks up a skin. She sniffs at it, before pouring two fingers into each mug, then hands each to you. "That's ale. "
Langley hits her fist on the table next to her glass, about to say something indignant but winds up distracted, impressed at the nice thud her fist and the table managed to make. "What?" and she blinks over at Alaida, resting her cheek on her arms and blowing hair back out of her face that way. "Oh, ale. Good." She smiles like it matters.
S'ris is starting to smirk. Oh how easy it is to drink a small girl under the table. "Yes, ale is good Langley." So amused he is. But he's moving a bit slower as he raises the mug, being careful not to spill any on himself as he gulps down the drink one swallow at a time.
Alaida smiles, waiting for Langley. "Drink up, Langley. "
"Don't be patron-" Langley stops, looks at Alaida, and asks, "What's that word for what he's being?" She shakes her head hastily and picks up the mug and says, "I am, I am. Quit naggin'!" It's just going to take her a while this time, what with frequent blinks at the glass; oh, my, what a lovely mug.
Alaida snickers softly, watching Langley and waiting.
Langley never finishes that mug. In fact, it's a wonder she doesn't spill it all over the table. About halfway through, she plunks it down on the table, mumbles something about taking a little nap and then finishing it in a few minutes, and is out like a shielded glow. Zzzzz.
S'ris sniggers behind his mug as he wipes his mouth. "Awww come on Langle---" Hey, wait a minute. Nudge nudge. "Hey...she's sleeping!"
Not sleeping. Completely passed out. Big difference.
Alaida giggles, reaching over to nudge Langley. "Well, congradulations, Sir. You won. Now, do you think you are too drunk to help me get her to the ground weyr, or should I grab one of the drudges to help? "
Langley bats at all the nudges with a heavy hand. Shoo, pesky vtols! Can't you see she's trying to take a nap here?
S'ris sighs and sets down the mug. "No, I can help, comeon, it's the decent thing to do. Told her I would win. Didn't I tell her I would win?" Grumble. But at least he's trying to catch one arm and pull her up.
And Langley is trying to slug S'ris for his efforts. She's not very cooperative, really. Groggy, she squints up at the Weyrleader and tries to say something, fails entirely, and goes back to sleep. *Now* proceed with the undignified denouement; no more objections from this particular greenrider, promise.
Alaida shakes her head, smoothly standing and moves to the other side of Langley to help her up. Despite her tiny size, she is a rather strong young woman. "Well, she'll learn these things one way or another, Sir. " She pauses, looking at you, then shakes her head. "Alright, Sir. This is where I put my foot down. Go to your weyr or I'll get FLuria to yank you over there. I'll get a drudge to help. "
S'ris raises his eyebrows and hmpfhs at Alaida now. "Fine fine, be that way." Hmpfh. Injured bronzer. Yet he goes back to his weyr anyways. Slacker.
S'ris walks outside, into the bowl.
Alaida laughs and shakes her head. "Men! " then she motions to a drudge, who quickly comes over to help with the other side of Langley.
And so, in such a way as to make her want to murder someone in the morning (after she gets over the splitting headache, of course), Langley is carted away to sleep it off. Zzzzz.